What would have happened?
What would have happened?
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northwest monkey

Original Poster:

6,370 posts

213 months

Wednesday 23rd May 2018
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A couple of years ago I bought a very nice BMW E91 320i with the not very nice at all N43 engine.

It had, to say the least, a couple of issues. The main one being the "Oil Pressure Low" red light that came on to once the engine warmed up a bit. Oh, and the rumbling / banging noise once warm once you got the car to about 3000rpm.

Having taken the car to a BMW specialist, he seemed to think it was either the oil pump, the crankshaft or another something (bearings?) that was causing the oil light and would need a rebuild. Deciding this was not a good idea, I got rid of the car and took the dealer I bought it off to court. That's a story for another day though.

What I'd like to know is what would have happened if I had kept driving the car?

trickywoo

13,702 posts

254 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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Sounds like it was an oil pump issue which then ruined the big end bearings. That's what would have been making the noise.

Continuing to drive like that would have resulted in the engine seizing either through lack of oil flow to other parts or perhaps if the conrod was moving enough on the crank the piston would have hit the valves or the rod may even have ended up leaving the block.

The failure when it eventually came would have been pretty sudden and catastrophic, not a limp home job.

GreenV8S

30,999 posts

308 months

Thursday 24th May 2018
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northwest monkey said:
what would have happened if I had kept driving the car?
The dealer would have taken that as evidence that the vehicle was still fit for purpose and used that to dodge any attempt you made to reject the vehicle. Eventually you would have been faced with an expensive bill and would have found it very difficult to hold the dealer liable since you failed to establish that it was an existing defect when you bought it.

northwest monkey

Original Poster:

6,370 posts

213 months

Friday 25th May 2018
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GreenV8S said:
northwest monkey said:
what would have happened if I had kept driving the car?
The dealer would have taken that as evidence that the vehicle was still fit for purpose and used that to dodge any attempt you made to reject the vehicle. Eventually you would have been faced with an expensive bill and would have found it very difficult to hold the dealer liable since you failed to establish that it was an existing defect when you bought it.
Eh?

I no longer even owned the car when I took the dealer to court - I'd already got rid of it. The dealer had ignored my request to reject and return the car - hence the SCC. I sued him for the difference in what I paid for it and what I sold it for.

I knew the engine was going to go pear-shaped - the reason for my question on here was being interested in how spectacular it would be once it did finally let go.

By the sound of it, pretty spectacular!

Sardonicus

19,336 posts

245 months

Friday 25th May 2018
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This engine is notorious for using oil inc leaks amongst other issues so in its past history previous to your purchase it probably see low oil pressure a number of times due to low oil level scratchchin ....... outcome damaged crankshaft journals and worn bearings is my guess